Chapter 5: Spitting Blood

"Nonsense! What Seven-Colored Cloud-Stream Python? I've never heard of it. Do you think making up some demon beast will let you off the hook?"

Qian Miao was quite accomplished in the art of alchemy in the Qin Kingdom, and naturally had some knowledge of demon beasts. He had never heard of any Seven-Colored Cloud-Stream Python.

If even he hadn't heard of it, let alone Ye Yuan, this ignorant brat.

"Young Master Ye, you're not just insulting Master Qian and me, you're insulting all of us demon beast hunters! We demon beast hunters live under the claws of demon beasts every day; we know them better than anyone. I've been a hunter for years, and I've never heard of a Seven-Colored Cloud-Stream Python."

Now the burly man was even more convinced that Ye Yuan was making trouble out of nothing, trying to harm him. So his words were no longer polite, even somewhat malicious.

Common folk have their ways. The burly man seemed rough but was actually shrewd. His life depended on Qian Miao to save him, so he didn't want to offend him. He tied himself to Qian Miao and invoked the group of demon beast hunters to make Ye Yuan back down.

Even if Ye Yuan didn't back down, the Ye family wouldn't be as foolish as Ye Yuan to offend the entire group of demon beast hunters.

Many of those present were demon beast hunters, and they erupted at these words.

"Exactly! What Seven-Colored Cloud-Stream Python? Never heard of it!"

"This ne'er-do-well is a disgrace to Master Ye. I think the Ye family's glory ends with this generation; they can't compare to Drunken Star Pavilion. Seven-Colored Cloud-Stream Python? I've been in the Boundless Forest for nearly thirty years and never heard of such a demon beast."

"Let's go, let's go. We'll all go to Drunken Star Pavilion. A perfectly good Herb Fragrance Hall has been ruined by this ne'er-do-well."

Ye Yuan stood there silently, which Qian Miao, who knew him well, found incredible. Normally, if things got this heated, Ye Yuan would have exploded long ago. But now he was as calm as if nothing had happened, as if those patients weren't cursing him.

Still, Ye Yuan had completely lost face today, and Qian Miao wasn't afraid to argue his case. Let the boy suffer a bit; if this continued, Old Ye's hard-earned fortune would soon be squandered by this kid.

Ye Yuan's gaze slowly swept over the noisy crowd, passing over the faces of those who were most agitated. They had been quite smug, but for some reason, after meeting Ye Yuan's eyes, they felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.

Ye Yuan's gaze finally fixed on the man who had first incited the crowd to go to Drunken Star Pavilion. The man was in a state of secret glee when he suddenly felt locked onto by a fierce killing intent. His expression froze, indescribably strange.

He was a lean, tough-looking middle-aged man, also a demon beast hunter. Those who knew him called him Liu An, but no one knew he was actually a mole planted by Drunken Star Pavilion among the hunters. Whenever he found something valuable in the Boundless Forest, he would kill for it and hand it over to Drunken Star Pavilion.

And Drunken Star Pavilion was Herb Fragrance Hall's biggest competitor in the Qin Kingdom.

Suddenly, the previously noisy hall fell silent, the clamor cut off like a waterfall severed midstream.

For a moment, the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, oppressively so.

Liu An felt his hair stand on end under Ye Yuan's stare. What was going on? Ye Yuan was clearly only at the first level of Qi Yuan Realm; he, at the eighth level, could crush Ye Yuan with one hand. Why did he feel oppressed as if facing a formidable opponent, not daring to breathe?

Ye Yuan's strength was obvious; almost everyone in the hall, except the mortals, could see his cultivation level at a glance. How could such a weakling give off such a powerful pressure?

Liu An thought it must be an illusion, but the silent hall reminded him constantly that it was not.

This oppressive feeling was unbearable, making him desperately want to break the situation. An eighth-level Qi Yuan cultivator being intimidated into silence by a first-level one's gaze was a joke!

Liu An decided to end this joke. He forced a surge of true essence, about to speak, when Ye Yuan's gaze shifted away from him...

"The Seven-Colored Cloud-Stream Python and the Seven-Kill Cloud-Stream Python differ by one word, but they are two completely different types of demon beasts..." At that moment, Ye Yuan spoke.

"Pfft..."

Ye Yuan was cut off mid-sentence by a sound.

Everyone followed the sound and found it came from Liu An. At that moment, he spat a mouthful of blood far away, splattering many people.

He had forced his true essence to speak, but Ye Yuan had just withdrawn the pressure on him, making it feel like a heavy hammer struck his chest. Combined with his existing injuries, he directly spat blood, worsening his condition.

"Young Master, this man seems badly hurt. Maybe let Master Qian treat him first," Lv'er tugged at Ye Yuan's sleeve, full of sympathy.

Ye Yuan showed a slight surprise, but inwardly he was delighted, thinking, 'This girl is so sensible, such a good follow-up.'

"Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken? This brave man looks serious, but it's just a minor internal injury. Our Herb Fragrance Hall's Heart-Protecting Pill is famous far and wide. Let him take one," Ye Yuan said with a bright smile, looking at Liu An.

Seeing Liu An's terrifying state, Lv'er turned to fetch the medicine without waiting for Ye Yuan's order. But this scared Liu An badly.

"No, no need. There are... there are so many people ahead of me. Cutting in line is not good," Liu An said guiltily.

"How can that be? I know you don't trust me, but can you not trust our Herb Fragrance Hall's reputation? Everyone knows the Heart-Protecting Pill's reputation; it will cure your injury instantly," Ye Yuan said with great concern.

After he finished, even Qian Miao nodded: "Yes, this time Xiao Yuan isn't fooling around. Your injury, though not severe, could worsen if neglected. The Heart-Protecting Pill is just right for it."

Earlier, Ye Yuan's gaze had lingered on several people, but only a little longer on Liu An. Others couldn't empathize, so they didn't notice anything amiss with Liu An.

Ye Yuan's concern now, though they didn't know his intentions, was not wrong in terms of saving and treating.

In a flash, Lv'er returned with a Heart-Protecting Pill like a whirlwind.

"Young Master, here," Lv'er handed the pill to Ye Yuan as if seeking credit.

Ye Yuan turned, took the pill, patted Lv'er's head, and smiled, "Good work."

"No trouble," Lv'er shook her head vigorously.

At this moment, Ye Yuan had his back to the crowd; no one noticed his hand movements, not even Lv'er.

If anyone had noticed the pill in Ye Yuan's hand, they would have seen that it wasn't held in his palm but hovered above it, while his fingers trembled at a very high frequency.

After speaking with Lv'er, Ye Yuan turned around, walked to Liu An, and handed him the pill: "Here, take it quickly."

Liu An took the Heart-Protecting Pill, his face changing several times. Had the kid really noticed something? Regardless, this brat wasn't a good person either; why would he care about others?

While Liu An was uneasy, his eyes swept to Qian Miao. He immediately stepped forward and said righteously, "Master Qian, it's not that I'm petty, but Young Master Ye's reputation is really not good. To be honest, I don't trust this pill. Please, Master, make a judgment for me!"

At his words, many nodded in agreement, but Lv'er was indignant: "Why are you biting the hand that feeds you? Our young master kindly saves you, and you suspect him."

"Hmph! Everyone knows what kind of person your young master is. Is it wrong to suspect him?" Liu An now grew bold, refusing to take the pill.

Qian Miao glanced at Ye Yuan, finding him very calm, not angry at all, which made him even more suspicious.

He looked again at the pill in Liu An's hand, took it, examined it carefully, sniffed it, and said, "This is indeed our Heart-Protecting Pill; there's nothing wrong with it. Moreover, this pill is fragrant, of better quality and higher grade than usual. I'm not forcing you to take it, but your injury is not light; if it worsens, it could affect your future cultivation. I advise you to take it."

Liu An was truly confused now. Had he been overthinking? He heard that Ye Yuan had just narrowly escaped death; had he changed his ways?

Qian Miao, this old fellow, was always upright; he wouldn't deceive me. Thinking this, Liu An thanked him and swallowed the Heart-Protecting Pill in one gulp.